I really enjoyed this book a lot. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I did Role Playing, but it is still a solidly good book. The way this book deals with grief was very heavy. At the same time, Cathy did a great job of making sure that it didn't weigh down the story too much. Our hero is completely a golden retriever style hero, who wants nothing more than to take care of our heroine, and help her find her happiness. He wasn't overbearing, but he was there for her in a way that she truly needed. It was very believable to me that this romance could in fact have been based on real people. They felt very real. Though I may not have connected to this one quite as deeply as the previous book by her that I read, I would still solidly recommend reading it, as it is a wonderful installment in her catalogue. Just make sure you are ready for a book that deals with grief and loss directly on page.

Do Me a Favor- a standalone

Publication date: 7/23/24, Read 6/13/24

Format: e-Book, 299 kindle

🙏🏾 Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for this ARC❤️ ! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Setting: Pugent Sound, WA

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Adult Romance

Tropes: small town, slow burn, dual POVs, love after 40 yrs. old, opposites attract

CHARACTER DESCRIPTION

Willa Liev-Endicott-widower, ghost cookbook writer, moved from CA to WA after she inherited great aunt's house.

Hudson Daws-divorced handyman w/ 2 adult children, lives w/ his parents on a farm

Patrick-neighbor and Hudson's nemesis

Noodle-Hudson's son dog

H /h RELATIONSHIP INFO

OW/OM/Exes: Hudson's ex wife, and Willa's deceased husband Patrick

AUTHOR OVERVIEW: Cathy Yardley-new to me author

PERSONAL OVERVIEW

Overall Rating: 4/5

Do You Recommend This Book: yes

Will You Re-read This Book: maybe

Would You Read More Books by this Author: yes

COMMENTS/NOTES: This was feel good romance between adults. They've dealt with real life with Willa losing her husband and having financial problems; and Hudson raising two children with his parents help. Once Willa asked for help and Hudson took time for himself they were able to get their HEA.

Hudson and Willa are interesting, intriguing, relatable, complex, wounded, entertaining, captivating characters. I enjoyed them as individuals and a couple. They captured my attention from the start and held it until the very end. I enjoyed the path their romance took to get to their HEA and the growth of these characters throughout the course of the story. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment – including the animals 😊. The story is easy to read and get into.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This story follows Hudson, a local handyman, and Willa, a recent widow who is tasked with ghostwriting a cookbook, as they rediscovery themselves and adjust to new terrain. I found myself really rooting for both of them to be successful, as well as falling in love with each other from the beginning. Watching Willa being so strong and sassy, especially towards some misogynistic men was definitely a highlight! The side characters in the story really added to the realness of Hudson and Willa, while also providing the space for them to highlight their personality. The story was really well paced, as well. As with her previous book, Role Playing, Yardley does an amazing job with her slow-burn, will they/won't they tug and pull. I found the third act conflict to be really well done and the ending of the story to be really satisfying. I'm glad I was able to read this book in the summertime! I would rate this one a 4.5 star read.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Cathy Yardley and the publisher for providing a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book and couldn't get enough of it, it was just so readable.

I totally fell in love with Hudson, the handyman next door, a guy who knows he looks good, but also is determined to treat a woman right. He puts others happiness ahead of his own, and I fell further for him, pretty much with every action, or any time time he spoke.

Willa on the other hand took me a while to fully gel with, but it was clear from the first chapter that she likes dogs, which definitely helped, and I absolutely loved the idea of her being a ghost writer of cookery books, with her latest commission being for someone who just prances about in his videos looking sexy with food.

She however doesn't overly feel sexy herself, and inspiration is lacking, until she gets to know Hudson a bit better, as the heat between them palpable from the first instance. And wow there are some fabulous scenes late in the book.

In fact there are some other great scenes early on, including the incredibly smart way the Willa is able to put people in their place, without even raising her voice. Oh and the first time she meets Hudson's family's goats, is brilliant!

There was a lot for me to love in this book, and I really did, and for me this small island town setting, in the Pacific Northwest was really refreshing in a book, I don't think I've read much set there, and totally loved the vibes I was getting of the island and it's community.

This is now the second book I've read from this author and given how much I have enjoyed both of them, I feel like I will continue to seek her out in the future.

Thank you to Montlake and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

A lovely romance about moving on and finding real love, Do Me a Favor is sweet-natured, tender and sensual. It's almost a DIK for me.

Willa Lieu-Endicott has moved states to get away from the memories that haunt her of her late husband. A cookbook ghostwriter by trade, she decides to take on a new project after moving to her late Great Aunt Caroline’s house. The project happens to be a chef who went viral thanks to his charm, with his TikTok meals only being a secondary asset. He is clueless in the kitchen, and it’s Willa’s job to make him look talented – and try to write a sexy cookbook.

Hudson Daws lives next door, a divorced single dad with two grown children – and he’s pretty darn sexy. A carpenter by trade, a motorcyclist by choice, he’s got a confederation of rambunctious animals. He is, in short, tempting and sexy as all get out.

Willa and Hudson begin doing small favors in trade for one another. Their scarred hearts begin to open to the possibility of new love – but can affection spring anew from their connection? Or will Willa run away and avoid the joys of love?

Do Me a Favor has some charming characters – and some big plot problems. The biggest I had was the novel’s odd treatment of Type 1 diabetes as a panic-inducing death sentence, for that is what took the life of Willa’s husband and is what’s left her forever anxious about losing love. It’s a grim take and from what I understand, blatantly untrue. [Correct - it's a chronic illness that needs to be managed properly, but it's not a death sentence - Ed.]

There are also pacing problems that keep Hudson and Willa’s romance from developing evenly. But ahh, what a romance it is! I love older heroes and heroines, and these two are delightful specimens. Everything about them is cute, and I loved the way the author uses her animal characters to draw the pair together. And I had no idea cookbook ghostwriting was a thing, so it was quite interesting to delve into the industry.

Do Me a Favor is charming, but not perfect. Readers could do worse!

Do Me A Favor is a standalone Yardley contemporary romance that I very much enjoyed!

A cookbook ghost writer inherits a house on a Pacific Northwest island, where there just happens to be a sexy single-dad handyman. Featuring an endearing dog who brings them together, goats interrupting romantictimes, lots of food, and following your dreams.

I particularly liked that the book didn't follow a very typical third-act breakup formula, that both MCs are in their forties, that they were both going through career issues and direction changes that ring true, that the kids (young adults) seemed kinda like real people, and that there wasn't any silly-misunderstanding subplot.

And that they both have just a bit of baggage from the past that isn't super horrible trauma, but that they need to grow through (and do).

Heartily recommended.

A sweet story of a widow (46) and a handyman (41) finding love in their second acts. Willa lost her husband to diabetes several years ago and has just moved to an island in the Pacific Northwest to try and pull the financial pieces of her life back together by getting back to an old gig - ghost writing cookbooks. Hudson is an islander through and through, he's connected to everyone, has fixed something in most of their houses, and has spent his life deferring his dreams to support his kids.

I really related to the way Willa has trouble accepting help because she doesn't want to be indebted to anyone. But she needs help. I also really like the way Hudson, a ladies man, is immediately into Willa, but is super cautious and slow and seduces her through home repair and acts of kindness. Possibly my favorite part was when Willa loosened up after eating too much of a special cookie.

These are two characters who complemented each other very well and it was lovely to see them come together.

I happened to read this while on a weekend trip to some islands in the PNW which was a delightful coincidence.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Overview: Willa, a widow in her late forties, moves to a small island off of Seattle after inheriting a house from her aunt. She rescues a dog from a rainstorm, and ends up meeting Hudson, a burly and flirtatious divorced handyman who happens to live on the neighboring farm…

Thoughts: This book was *chef’s kiss*!! I absolutely loved the dynamic between Willa and Hudson, with Willa trying so hard to be independent and doing everything on her own, and with Hudson being super attracted to her but just trying to help her out however he could. Hudson’s family members were also a hoot - it was hilarious how invested everyone was in his love life! I especially liked the scene with Kimber’s special cookies!! Also I need to find a Michelin-starred restaurant ASAP because this book gave me serious food cravings!!

Take home message: Do Me a Favor is a charming (and steamy) small-town/farm neighbors-to-lovers romance between characters in their forties. Perfect for foodies who also love diverse characters and slow burn romances. Note there are also a lot of conversations about a character with diabetes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I love foodie romances and this was a really fun take on it!

Hudson is a single dad (of adult children) who is helping Willa fix up her newly inherited home. She is ghost writing a cookbook for one of those chefs on IG/tiktok that make sexy food videos with lots of whisk licking and stuff...you know the ones? And they are neighbors and both in their 40s. Hudson does more than handyman work for Willa--he turns out to be the perfect muse for this cookbook project!

• The synopsis blurb says: "...a widowed cookbook writer and divorced handyman who find that it's never too late for a fresh start." 🥰 Since most romance novels lean towards characters in their 20s and 30s, it's lovely to see some age diversity in romance. This is my second Cathy Yardley book with characters in their late 40s.
• Excellent meet cute! Can we get a round of applause for all fictional cats and dogs that work their matchmaking magic by being absolute menaces/bringing characters together!
• I love the way the romance progressed from friends to lovers. The romance pace was for us slow burn lovers, but there were tons of sweet and swoony parts through the whole book.
• I really enjoyed this one and flew through it! Highly recommend!

This was a great read! I have been getting into books where adults get to show some serious growth and find their second chance. I enjoy diving into the main character's complex history and find new things, especially with another broken person by their side.

Oh, this was a sweet (and sexy) romance. Willia is coming off of being a caretaker for her now-deceased husband and is trying to find her footing with being a widow while coping with how she's going to pay bills. The house her aunt left her gives her a little breathing room as far as a place to live, but she's struggling with finding herself after the emotional drain full-time caretaking left on her. She's quiet and reserved and she tries very hard to do everything herself. Which is admirable, but not always the best path to take.

Hudson is intrigued by Willa the first time he meets her. She's careful and reserved and he can't stop thinking about her. He's also reached the point where the hookups he's used don't have the shine they used to have. Ans, again, Willa intrigues him. Soon they're exploring a cautious friendship and forging something that's getting closer to what Hudson is looking for in a relationship. It takes time and patience and some breaking down of walls, but it's heading in the right direction.

Speaking of breaking down walls, some of the biggest are Willa's desire to depend on only herself. But then, she's had to do just that for so long that letting people in is hard. And I do mean "people", not just Hudson. She had friends she pulled away from when her husband died. Her family is...let's just say they're complicated. They approach things from s different perspective than Willa does and it takes a some hard communication before Willa sees that.

A dog who loves to make an escape, a family with a lot of heart, a man who's stifled his dreams for long enough, and a lady who needs to learn how to lean on others and accept their help. *thumbs up*

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

3.5 stars rounded up
I really like this author's writing style and was excited to read this after her book "Role Playing" which I loved. I thought I would enjoy this one as much until it got closer to the end. I didn't love that it got wrapped up so quickly and I wish we saw more of Willa and Hudson after their time apart. It's a quick read. I love that the characters are older. If you're younger than 30, you might not enjoy as much if you can't relate to what they've been through in their lives. But that's part of what I really liked, that the characters are so real. Hudson will definitely be going on your book boyfriend list.

𝐃𝐎 𝐌𝐄 𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑
ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
ꜱᴘɪᴄᴇ: 🌶️

💙𝚂𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚃𝚘𝚠𝚗 (𝙸𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚍)
💙𝙽𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚜
💙𝚆𝚒𝚍𝚘𝚠/𝙳𝚒𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚌é
💙𝙼𝙲𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝟺𝟶𝚜

💃🏻Willa (46), Widow, just moved to the island and struggling with her career as a cookbook ghostwriter.
🕺Hudson (41), Divorcé, lives all his life on the island as Handyman. His wife left him and his kids for a better life outside the small island.

I thought this was a really sweet later-in-life romance, both MCs are in their 40s, and both have been burned out by their previous partner for different reasons. Willa is widowed after her husband died 2 years ago, leaving her with some debts, and she spent most of their marriage life being his caretaker. So we got the title “Do Me a Favor” from Willa’s personality, who has difficulties in asking help, enter Huson, her sexy hunky neighbor, who happens to be the only Handyman in the island. Let’s just say he does a lot of favor for her, way beyond what any friendly neighbor would do😉

I did enjoy their story, though the third POV was not my cup of tea. Their relationship was a slow burn, but granted this book wasn’t very long, so it was ok. One of my biggest ick is repetition, and I don’t understand why the author keeps stating the MCs age over and over again, it kinda bothers me🤷‍♀️ But overall, it was an enjoyable read, and that covers what drew me into picking up this book, so good job!

✨ 𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚙𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 #netgalley 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚖 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚟𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚕𝚢 ✨

This was a great book. I connected with the characters. I felt engrossed with the plot. I would read another book by this author.

4.5 stars Another wonderful book from Cathy Yardley who writes with a lot of heart. I loved the small (island) setting, the community atmosphere, the family values and the fun premise of the book. I had a question mark around some of the diabetes representation - but I'm not a member of that community so I can't comment beyond that. I loved the premise of a cookbook ghost writer, too!

i really enjoyed this book! it was so refreshing to read a romance centered on an “older” couple as their differences & struggles were so life focused. the central theme of struggling to chase your dreams amidst the obstacles life throws you really hit home for me. the small town farm life setting made this a cozy read and i love everything about the FMCs food driven career. this book emphasizes that love puts no limits on age or distance and it’s okay to change your path at any time! this was a very good read.

my only downside was the heavy / repeated emphasis on their ages. yes they were 40+ but if the story aims to see the MCs beyond their age, there’s no need to repeat it every page. i do also wish there was a little more time spent to divulge into Willow’s relationship with her family as the scenes we were given developed her character beautifully.

Thank you to netgalley and Montlake for allowing me access to this book. I highly enjoyed the story and getting to know the characters.

This book was like a warm basket of fresh produce from a farm stand on a summer day. I wanted to climb inside the world Yardley created and stay for a long vacation.

Cathy Yardley, how do you keep getting better? I loved, loved, LOVED Role Playing and was so excited at the opportunity to read her next. Somehow she has the ability to take a great romance premise and make it bigger, richer, deeper, and more delicious. The main characters are mature people with full lives, who weren't looking for love but couldn't escape it. This is romance for grown-ups, with grown-up obligations and concerns. It's not easy for Willa and Hudson to rearrange their lives to make room for their romance, which makes it so much more fulfilling when they do. Not to imply that this book is all serious; it's simultaneously serious, and light-hearted, and funny, and oh so sexy. Are you ready to feel all your feelings? Go read this. I can't wait to read it again.